Viking Bragi accident in the Main-Danube-Canal

On 18th June the Viking Bragi hit a bridge repair construction in the Main-Danube-Canal not too far from the where the Viking Tor is stuck right now (19th June). Oops.

It happened at 2am in fog.

Luckily noone was hurt in the incident. Combined damage to ship and bridge has been estimated by police to be 800,000 euros.

The following morning the passengers were bussed to Nuremberg and the ship anchored nearby to assess the damage.

The Viking Bragi was sailing to Nuremberg, so the passengers trip was shortened only slightly, if somewhat shockingly abruptly.

notamermaid

It has been confirmed that the accident happened due to the captain getting too close to the side of the canal that was closed to river traffic due to the bridge repair. Akin to someone driving on a road and getting onto the closed lane. The construction is protruding into the navigation channel.

notamermaid

Notamermaid, while looking for the Viking accidents report, came across this website (German):

https://www.schiffe-und-kreuzfahrten.de/

Thank you G.M.T..

It is certainly not favourable to a company's reputation to be on the front page with two accidents.

The Viking Bragi had an accident in 2013 by the way, on the Rhine near Düsseldorf, during her first season of river cruising.

Oh, before anybody thinks I am picking on a specific line, I can assure that, sadly, there was another accident earlier this month on the Danube with another cruise ship. On the 1st of June the Amadeus Silver had one centimetre too little headroom under a bridge in Passau and thus damaged parts of the sun deck. Nobody was injured, the ship could sail on. The damage was around 5,000 euros.

notamermaid

Bummer...was on the Bragi for a Christmas market cruise in 2014; boarding the Viking Prestige in 14 days...

Here is a link to the local newspaper report:

http://www.mittelbayerische.de/region/kelheim/gemeinden/riedenburg/schiffsunfall-auf-dem-main-donau-kanal-21093-art1393230.html

What you can see in the first photo are the remnants of the hanging repair construction of the bridge, what the local authorities termed as "now being a pile of debris".

http://www.mittelbayerische.de/fotos/bilderstrecken/kelheim/schiffsunfall-in-riedenburg-22044-gal31956.html?article.id=1393230 The Viking Bragi in the photo gallery section, photo 9 of 9.

Again the reference to fog in the area, by the local police. The sundeck has been completely demolished. It is estimated that it will take the construction company up to four weeks to get rid of the demolished construction, in order to continue with normal repairs at the bridge afterwards. River traffic resumed at midday.

At the time the report was written the Bragi was anchored nearby.

The site was clearly marked with the appropriate signals. Investigations are underway and will probably result in a fine for the captain.

The town of Riedenburg was due to have a festival with fireworks involving the bridge as a gathering point for onlookers. Gladly by lunchtime it was becoming clearer that there would very likely be no impact on the festivities.

Phew!

notamermaid

Wow - I'm surprised to hear this. I was on the Atla and we were with the Bragi in a few locks and a few ports just prior to this. I was wondering what happened to them when I didn't see the Bragi at Nuremberg.

The water was definitely high and running quite fast. Our sundeck was closed for the last few days of the cruise.

This is the latest report from the area where both the Viking Bragi and the Viking Tor had accidents at the weekend:

http://www.mittelbayerische.de/region/kelheim/gemeinden/badabbach/schiffshavarien-geben-noch-raetsel-auf-21081-art1394166.html

"Mysteries still surrounding the accidents of river vessels" would be a direct (and too dramatic IMO) translation.

Bear with me while I translate some more details from the report tommorrow.

Meanwhile I can tell you that in the report it says that the Viking Bragi will not start its next itinerary, another ship is taking over that task, according to the vice president of Viking River Cruises.

The Bragi is allowed to sail in daylight and is on its way to Linz for repairs in a dock.

notamermaid

Interesting article, notamermaid. Thanks for posting. The Fire Brigade video from their drone certainly gave a good picture of the ship's predicament.

The sub-headline reads: "The obstacle at Riedenburg was known, was displayed on radar. The cruise company, meanwhile, has had a series of accidents."

First sentence: "Two ship accidents within 24 hours, within a Landkreis (NB: small German rural administrative district), of the same company and on top of that the same course of events. That must be very rare. But that is what happened at the weekend."

A description of the accidents and the damage caused follows.

lavendereye,

certainly an unusual event by all means and not routine for any of the emergency services involved. No wonder the fire brigade filmed the rescue operation of the Viking Tor. The gentleman in the video praises the well-coordinated work of all the services involved. For insurance purposes it is also probably a good idea to have captured it all on camera.

notamermaid

This is a "google translate" of the article:

Two boat accidents within more than 24 hours within a district, from the same company plus with a similar history. That there is probably very rare. So, it is happening at the weekend. The "Viking Bragi" rammed in on Friday night into the water excellent scaffolding at the St. Anna Bridge in Riedenburg that "Viking Tor" came on the Danube out of control and crashed transversely against the railway bridge in Poikam (we reported).

People were doing no injured, the damage is considerable, is probably in the millions. Exact damage must now reconsider experts both at the bridges, as well as on the ships. Yet on Sunday the wrecked in Riedenburg "Viking Bragi" had been taken by an independent expert on the magnifying glass. Demolished running lights have been re-installed, checked the radar and other technical equipment. At the end of the river cruise ship was found roadworthy. During the day the cabin vessel is allowed to drive. It is now on the way to Linz in the yard. First, the 135 meters long had to go "Bragi" reverse the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal to Kelheim harbor entrance "to the valley." There could be turned, it is said on Monday the competent waterways and shipping office in Nuremberg (WSV).

The "Viking Tor" is back on the road - at least temporarily. She was rescued by a towboat in the course of Sunday afternoon. After artificial damming of the water, the transverse ship could be taken at the second attempt in the fairway and then shut down under their own power. This was followed by the unloading of the luggage of travelers and a preliminary assessment. Found it was a damaged inner bulkhead. The ship was moved to Regensburg, where the appropriate repair is performed. Thereafter, a routine deadhead to Linz and the vessel is subjected to a land audit. "The point is to investigate possible damage to the ship's hull," said Hans Kerber of WSV.

The video of the fire Abensberg shows the "Goal" in their plight from the air

The FF Abensberg clears from the air auf.mp4

Both ships have in the yard

can still no precise information about the extent of damage will be done, said Thomas Bogler, Vice-President of Viking River Cruises: "Both vessels goal and Bragi must inspected by Linz in the yard, there they are. In the gate there is a measure to ensure that no damage has been overlooked. but I assume that they can schedule start their next trip to Budapest. "The situation is different in the" Bragi ". The sun deck is badly damaged, Bogler goes from an approximately 14-day repair of. "Already is a replacement vessel for the current passengers Bragi used," he said.

New this kind messages for the Swiss shipping company are not: you GoogleT Viking Cruises, several accident reports seem to. "Viking Sun builds again an accident: Stuck in Strasbourg", "Again Viking accident: time Viking Bragi am Rhein" or "Again River boat accident: disaster series at Viking" can be read on various internet sites. Especially in 2013, the company was present in the media: "the beginning of September had the Viking Aegir on the Main a cargo ship and dodge came here in the embankment, damage of EUR 50 000, a passenger was injured. DC in three accidents in September was the Viking Forsete involved in one of them was damaged a catenary in Forchheim, damage here a total of EUR 80 000 as well as several hours of blocking a highway, "Franz Neumeier wrote on http://www.cruisetricks.de (02/10/2013) ,

The video of reporter Heiner mackerel shows the recovery of the "gate". Kreisbrandrat Nicolas Hofler draws his conclusion.

Savers mountains passenger ship in Bad Abbach.mp4

read data Blog ship

On http://www.schiffe-und-kreuzfahrten.de was reading on 12 November 2013: "Viking River Cruises is currently the absolute leader in accidents build on the river, this is the sixth accident within a few months. Last has just the local Viking Sun rammed a pontoon, the damage can still be seen on the bow "Thomas Bogler appeases:" We do not build more accidents - which are caused by other vessels - than other shipping companies also.. In addition, our fleet consists of 63 vessels -angesichts which is our accident statistics not dramatically high, and there is certainly no series. Our employees are trained annually in safety training. "

Cargo ship "stranded"

Also in Hall

was a ship captain at the weekend happiness does not hold.

On early Saturday morning

wanted the 53-year-old skipper of Hungarian cargo ship from the port of Kelheim extend towards RMD Channel. The strong current, the ship turned to the valley, and came on the right bank to lie. By yielded anchor and a stern line the crew could the ship that could not get away under its own power from the shore secure. Whether or to what extent on the cargo vessel, a material damage, it is too early to say at present, informs the police.

Actual up to an accident to Bogler wanted however not comment. "We are the data-blog the cabs evaluate and discussions with the responsible lead - in two or three days we know more" The weather - it was foggy - but at least in the case of rammed St. Anna bridge played a role. That there an obstacle narrows the fairway in the form of a skeleton, was known, said Marko Ruszczynski the fairway and Shipping Authority, "at least it has been communicated by us." In addition, the narrowing fairway was marked by radar reflectors on buoys. The signal is passed into the cab. Whether this fact suggestive of human error, neither wanted nor Ruszczynski Bogler comment.

Whether that is the case, will probably also show in the accident work-up, as the damages have taken the bridges. At the railway bridge in Poikam no damage has occurred according to initial findings, different with the St. Anna Bridge says Ruszczynski: "An expert, engineer and structural engineer check the ruined skeleton. There will be created a deconstruction concept. "The scaffold was but probably so stable that it will not crack from alone in the channel. "However, the bridge for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes is locked. The bridge bearings are indeed functional, the superstructure of the bridge but not yet cost - damage can not be excluded ".

As the ship "Tor" came in his predicament, read here

And as the recovery was read here

More images from rescue services at Poikam you see here:

Other news from the district Kelheim.

dodger 1964,

thank you for providing the translation from google. Not bad at all. There are some "chuckle mistranslations" as always. But I find them not too misleading or wrong. If anyone has any problems with them I can help out perhaps with some better wording. But the "google" article can suffice.

Very interesting is the mention of a series of accidents in 2013. The Viking Forseti was especially unlucky.

Hope the season goes well without further incidents for any river cruise ship and everyone sailing the rivers be it for work or pleasure.

notamermaid